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Note the 40" width of the tail cone. The cross tie box will likely need to be trimmed in order to clear the upper vertical splice plates and maintain the 40" width.


Section C-C
The -F22-10 channel will have its flanges facing forward (text incorrectly says flanges face aft)

Also, consider not updrilling to #30 the holes in the bottom of lower cross tie #1 (and through the aft lower skin.) This will allow you to cleco the forward and aft skins together on page WIX-F11 and updrill them together.

Ryan,

Do you remember how much you had to trim or the overall length you used? I am building the cross tie box as we speak and I don't want to get the additional rivet holes required too close to the edge or assemble the box with rivets and not be able to properly debut the ends with it assembled.

Thanks

Chris

I don't remember exactly, I want to say about 1/8" off each side where the box would contact the splice plate. You can go ahead and assemble the cross-tie box per the plans, rivet holes won't be an issue. You won't be trimming the entire ends of the box, just the 5/8" inch or so on the fwd vertical side of the box where it touches the top longeron splice plates.

This will make more sense the first time you cleco the tail cone box together. Try to slide the splice plates into their approximate locations and you'll see how there's not enough clearance on the outside the cross-tie box.

1/8" is about right.

Take a look at my photo album page two. I think this is what you are referring to. I trimmed mine a miminum of 3/32.

Be advised, with the MAP splice plates, the holes (most of them), are already drilled to match the holes in the vertical members of the cross-tie box. They are hidden when you put the top on and it is difficult to transfer through the cover. I guess they didn't put the holes in the top because they use the same part for the bottom. What I did was, cleco the cover to the underside of the flange and use the flange holes as the pilots. Cleco the opposite splice-plate to each side (they will be upside-down) and finish locating the holes. After you have the cover back on top, it's a simple matter of removing material from the crosstie till the holes line up.If you do this, the overall comes out right on the 40" without any frettful measureing.

Hope this can be interpreted........and not too late.

Good luck from Area 51%